Electric signaling apparatus.



N0. 549,66l. Patented May l5, I900. F. K. FASSETT. ELECTRIC SIGNALINGAPPARATUS.

(Applicationfiled July 10, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Shaet I.

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N0. 649,66]. Patented May l5, I900.

F. K. FASSETT.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed July 10, 1899.)

(No Model.) 5 Sheets8heet 2,

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No. 649,66l. Patented May l5. I900.

F. K. FASSETT.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS. (App! c m a: 1y 10 1899) v 5 Shets-Sheet3,

(No Model.)

m 1mm Patented May l5, I900.

5 SheetsSheet' 4 40 9 Lvenfar fmw F. K. FASSETT.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed July 10, 1899.) (No Model.)

'No. 649,66l. Patented May l5, I900. F. K. FASSETT.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(Application filed .iul 10, 1899.)

Jfvg AI (No Mdel.

i Sheets- Shae? 5. /6.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEFioE.

FRANCIS K. FASSET'I, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO LEO ElIRLICIl,OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 649,661, dated May 15,1900.

Application filed July 10, 1899. Serial No. 723,357. (No model.)

To all whom 112'; may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANOISK. FASSETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric SignalingApparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a sectional View through several floors of a building,illustrating the elevator-shaft casing and my improvements attachedthereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the elevator-shaft, showingone of the elevators therein. Fig. 3 is a conventional illustration ofthe system of electric connections employed in my improved signaling andindicating apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the switchesemployed for cutting in the signaling and indicating circuits for, thefloor on which said switch is located. Fig. 5 is a detail view of theindicator designed to be arranged -on the first floor of a building,indicating the position of any elevator of a group and the direction inwhich the same is traveling. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the dialemployed in said indicator. Fig. 7 is a sectional view through saidindicator, showing the manner of operating the same. Fig. 8 is a viewillustrating the several parts constituting the contact devices, whichdevices are arranged in juxtaposition to a vertically-movable rodcarryinga brush, whereby contact is made for the signaling andindicating circuits for the various floors of the building. Fig. 9 is adetail view showing the manner of mounting these contacts and theirrelation to a movable cont-act making and breaking device actuated bythe power mechanism for the elevatorcar. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectionalView on line 10 10, Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail View, in frontelevation, of the movable contact making and breaking devicescooperating with stationary contacts. Fig. 12 is a sectional View online 12 12, Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is an enlarged view showing themanner ofactuating the rod on which the movable contacts are arranged.

Fig. 14; is a vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 15 is arear elevational view of an automatic resetting mechanism employed inconnection with the contact-carrying rod for taking up 5' 5 orcompensating for the creep of the cables over the main sheaves or drums.Fig. 16 is a side elevational view showing said resetting mechanism.Fig. 17 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner of mountingthe main pawl in said resetting mechanism. Fig. 18 is a detail viewshowing the pawlsand pawlcarrying frame or arm. Fig. 19 is a sectionalview on line 19 19, Fig. 16. Fig. 20 is a sectionalview on line 20 20,1ig.15; and Fig. 21 is a modified form of indicator-actuating mechanism.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in electricsignaling apparatus for elevator-cars, the object being to provide asimple and effective system cheap in construction and positive inoperation.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the system ofcircuits and their cooperating switches, whereby when the switch on anyfloor of a building equipped with my improved apparatus is set saidswitch will establish communication in a circuit which will be completedby the first car moving in the desired direction either up or down,whichcar or its power mechanism will complete a circuit including thesignaling apparatus within the car and indicating apparatus or device onthe floor corresponding to that on which the actuated switch is located.

The invention also consists in the novel construction of the contactmaking and breaking devices and their means of actuation.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel resettingmechanism for taking up or compensating for the creep of the cables overthe main sheave or drum at the top of the shaft, whereby the contactmaking and breaking devices are caused to bear a difierent relation totheir cooperating parts, whereby the signal and indicating devices willbe operated at the proper time by any of the cars which control thecircuit.

In the drawings I have shown my improved apparatus and system as beingarranged in :00

position on and including six floors of a building; but it is obviousthat a greater or less number of floors may be equipped, if occasiondemands. Furthermore, I have shown a group of three elevator-shaftsarranged side by side, which number and arrangement of shafts have beenarbitrarily selected for the purpose of illustrating my invention, andconsequently I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to thesame, as the shafts may be arranged on different sides of a building orin different groups and may be isolated or placed in proximity to eachother, as is well understood.

In the drawings, indicates the casing of an elevator-shaft, and 31 a carwithin said shaft, which is suspended by an ordinary cable 32, passingover a sheave 33, arranged in .the top of the shaft, said sheave beingsuitably mounted on a driving-shaft- 34, as is well understood.

I have not deemed it necessary to show any counterweights for theelevator-car nor any mechanism for raising or lowering the car, as thesame exist in various forms, with any of which my system and apparatusmay be employed.

I 35 indicates a sprocket-wheel mounted on the driven shaft 34, overwhich passes a chain 36, driving a sprocket 37, mounted on acounter-shaft 38, said counter-shaft being so speeded by reason of thediameters of the sprockets 34 and 37 that their ratio is preferably oneto two. Shaft 38 carries a sideface worm wheel 39 in its other end,which ,worm-wheel consists of a single spiral or working face 40, theends of which overlap each other a short distance. The working facehaving the major diameter preferably continues concentric with the axisof rotation to a point marked a between which and the point I) itconnects with the minor working face, which minor working face isconcentric with the axis of rotation. These working faces, as I havetermed them, cooperate with the teeth of a rack-bar 41, arranged insuitable guides, and said rack-bar may have a joint or flexibleconnection 42 at its upper end passing over suitable pulleys or sheavesand provided with a counterweight43 at its opposite end, whereby-theweight of the rackbar is taken off of the worm-wheel 39. It will be seenfrom the above that the major and minor working faces hold the rack-barstationary until the cam-face between the points a and I) move saidrack-bar the distance of one tooth, either up or down, depending uponthe direction of rotation of said worm-wheel. This movement of therack-bar is comparatively quick, and as this rack-bar carries contactmaking and breaking devices the quick break thereof is desirable forreducing sparking to a minimum.

As shown in Fig. 1, the rod or bar 41, which I have heretofore termedthe rack-bar, extends practically from the top to the bottom floorsofthe building equipped with my improved system and apparatus, and thisbar carries contact making and breaking devices an offset to which issecured asuitable leafspring or other flexible supports44, of whichthere are preferably two. On the ends of the flexible supports 44 arearranged contact making and breaking devices 45 in the form of rods,which, however, can be in the form of ordinary electric contact makingand break ing brushes. In the construction shown in the drawings thestrip which carries the brush proper is of insulating material,reinforced by metal strips on each side. If, however, we insulate thecollar 43 from bar 41, that would do as well, and we could then usemetal throughout in the construction of the brushes.

46 indicates a box or casing through which the rod 41 passes, said boxserving as a guide for said rod and also as a housing for inclosing theelectric contacts to keep dust, &c., therefrom. Within this housing isan insulation-block 47, on which are mounted, but insulated from eachother, fixed contact-terminals 48, which are preferably parallel to eachother and have their ends beveled to form deflecting-faces forcooperating with the brushes 45, which are designed to move in the pathsof said terminal. 49 indicates a metallic frame forminga conductor forthe current, which frame is seen red to the insulation-block. 47 and hasmounted in its inner end a yielding contact plate or terminal 50, whichyielding plate or terminaf 50 is held in its inward position by springs51, as shown in Fig. 8. 52 indicates another metallic current-conductingframe mounted in the insula- Lion-block 47 and insulated from the frame49, which frame 52 carries a spring-pressed or yielding terminal 53,whose working face is on the same plane as that of the plate 50; but theplate 53 isarranged to one side of the plate 50 and is somewhat shorterin length in order that the brush 45 will have contact therewith for ashorter period of time than with the plate 50. These stationary contacts48 and the yielding contacts 50 and 53 are prac tically duplicated oneach side of the box, and as the brushes 45 are designed to make contactwith and complete the circuit between 48 and 50 53 it will be observedby reference to Fig. 9 that when the rod 41 is moved in an upwarddirection the upper brush 45 will be deflected to the right and completethe circuit. between the stationary contact of terminal 48 and theyielding contacts 50 53, which press against the brush for well-knownreasons. When the lower brush strikes the inclined face of itscooperating stationary terminal, it will likewise be deflected to theright, but inwardly and out of the path of its cooperating yieldingcontacts. After both brushes have passed above their cooperatingcontacts and the rod-moved downwardly the lower brush will be deflectedto the left in the path of its cooperating yielding contacts and willcomplete the circuit therethrough, while the upper brush will likewisebe deflected to the left, in which event it will permit the circuit itcontrols to remain open.

Each elevator preferably hasv a box 46 at each floor of the building,with the exception of the extreme top and bottom floors, and as the rod41 extends through all of these floors it carries a number of pairs ofbrushes, depending upon the number of boxes through which it passes. Inorder that the brushes will cooperate with their respective contactssuccessively on the various floors as the elevator car ascends ordescends, the pairs of brushes may be adjusted on their supportingrod toaccomplish the above, in which event their cooperating contacts wouldhear afixed relation to the floors of the building, or said pairs ofbrushes may be spaced apart correspending to the height of the differentfloors of the building and their cooperating contacts arranged in theirrespective boxes, graduating in position from high to low, as the casemay be, so that they will cooperate with the pairs of brushessuccessively as the elevator-car ascends and descends.

Arranged on the elevator-shaft casing within convenient reach are anumber of boxes or casings 54 containing switches which are normallyopen, but which are designed to be closed by suitable levers 55, pivotedin said box and projecting outside thereof, which levers are preferablymarked with the words Up and Down, according as the circuit they closeis completed by the next elevatorcar moving in the direction'indicated,which completes the circuit effected by either of these switches to makea signal to the conductor in the elevator-car to stop at a certain floorand also indicate to the person operating the switch that the signal hasbeen or will be received by the conductor on the elevator-car. As theparticular switch shown is not herein claimed, it is believed that thefollowing brief description will give an adequate understanding of itsconstruction and operation: The depression of either of thelevers 55completes the circuit at that point, said lever in turn actuating anauxiliary lever 56, carrying a projection 57, cooperating withescapementlugs 58 011 an armature 59. \Vhen the main lever is presseddown, as shown to the right in Fig. 4, the circuit is completed and theauxiliary lever elevated and sustained in such elevated position by theengagement of its pin 57 with the upper escapement-lug. The

magnets which influence the armature on which said escapement-lugs arearranged are in circuit wit-h the signal in the elevator-car and theindicator over the door, and when said signal is operated the magnetsare energized, so as to attract the armature and permit the descent ofthe auxiliary lever 56,

which restores the arm 55 to its normal position. I would state that theend of auxiliary lever 56 in its upper position serves to contact with aspring-terminal 60 in its path. The terminal spring 00 and lever 56 arethe two terminals of the switch. One end of the magnet-coil is connectedto the source of supply, while the other end is connected to the frameor box 54.

Referring now to Fig. 3, wherein is illus trated in conventional formthe system of electric circuits I employ for a group of three elevatorstraveling in a building, say, six stories high, in this figure 61indicates a source of electric energy, from which leads a wire 62 toterminals under the switches in the various boxes on the differentfloors of the building. For the sake of illustration we will assume thatthe up signal on the fifth floor is depressed and that car at is juststarting its descent from the sixth floor, car 3 is just completing itsdown trip, and car 2 is just starting on its up trip. As the rod 41,controlled by car a, will be the first to be thrown into operation, orrather to complete the circuit, including the up signals and indicatorswhich have been affected by the depression of the lever marked Up on thefifth floor, Iwill not, for the time being, refer to the operation ormovement of any other parts of the system. The depression of the uplever on the fifth floor effects a connection whereby all of thestationary terminals 4S on that floor become operative. When the brush45 on the rod 41,

controlled by the car .2, contacts with its respective terminal 48 andthe cooperating yielding terminal 50, said brush 45 completes thecircuit through an indicating device 62,- wire 63, cable-wire 64,suspended from the bottom of the car 2, switch 65, cable-wire 66, andback to the battery, dynamo, or other source of energy 61 through wire67. When the brush 45 makes contact between terminals 4S and 53, whichlatter is the short yielding terminal, circuit is completed through wire68 and cable-wire 09, through the signal 70, located in the car It mightbe said that when the brush 45 first completes the circuit through theterminals 48 and 50 the local indicator for that floor is thrown intooperation and that as the brush 45 moves upwardly, still in contact withthe yielding terminal 50 it completes the circuit through the yieldingterminal 53 and operates the signal in the elevator-car. The terminals48 in all of the contact-making devices referred to are of correspondinglength to the long terminals 50, the object being to render theindicator operative when the car is several floors above or below thaton which the person who threw the up or down switch is standing, whilethe short terminal 53 is so arranged as to be thrown into operation andmake the signal in the car visible or audible to the conductor on thecar when the car is a little less than the distance of two floors aboveor below the stopping-point. The purpose of the switch in the car is toenable the conductor to break the circuit and prevent the operation ofeither the indicating or signaling devices, as when the elevator-car iscarrying a load up to its full capacity, when it is designed to make athrough trip without stopping. By thus breaking the circuit within anycar the next car moving in the proper direction will, through its rod41, cause the proper signal and indicating devices to be set inoperation and said next car may take on the passengers or freight passedby the preced ing full car.

For further illustration of my system I will assume that the down signalon the third floor has been depressed. This places in circuit all of thestationary terminals 4-8 on that floor, and as the rod 41, controlled bythe car a will be the first to have its carried brushes to complete thecircuit between stationary contact 48 and the yielding contacts 50 and53 the circuit will be first established through wire 71, indicatingdevice 72, cable-Wire 73, switch 74, cable-wire 75, and wire 76 back tobattery or dynamo 61 through wire 67. When brush 45 contacts with theterminal 53, the circuit will be divided and the divided portioncompleted through cable-wire 7 7 car-signal 78,switch 74', cable=wire75,and wire 76 back to the battery ordynamo through wire (37. Thesignals in the cars are preferably in the form of electric lamps, butitis obvious that audible signals can be employed,if desired. Theindicators on the different floors upon which the switches are arrangedare also preferably electric lamps, suitably coloredas, for instance,the upper lamp being colored whiteand it may have painted thereon theword Up, to indicate that the signal has been received by the conductoron said car when said lamp is burning, and the lower lamp may be coloreda different color and have painted thereon the word Down, to indicatethat the signal has been received by the conductor on the nextdescending car. As stated before, these indicators in the form of sometranslating device, such as a lamp or bell, are placed into operativerelation when the next car is several floors distant to indicate thatthe conductor on said car will receive the signal, which indicator willcontinue in operation until thecar has reached the floor on which suchindicator is located. The signal on the car, however, is operated whenthe car is distant from the required stopping-place about one andone-half floors, sufficient for the conductor to have ample time toproperly work the lever and make a service-stop.

I have found by experience that the supporting-cables of elevators willcreep or slip over their sheaves in one direction or the other, and,further, that this creeping or slippling of the cable is variable. Inone instance the creeping or slipping amounted to about twenty feet inthree hours, while with respect to a companion elevator the creepingamounted to a fewinches in the same period of time. A peculiar featureof this creeping is that an elevator whose cable will creep constantlyin one direction forquite a long period of time will suddenly reversethe direction of creeping under practically the same running and loadconditions. Again, these reversals in creeping occur frequently withrespect to the same elevator. I am not aware of any good reason for thisexcept that it is due, perhaps, to the stretch of separate cables, sothat the strain is placed on other cables, each cable being separatelyattached and independent of the other and alternate cables being twistedin the opposite direction. However this might be, this creeping existsto such an extent that provision should be made to take up the same inorder that the contacts heretofore described shall make and break thecircuits at the proper time with respect to the position of thecontrolling-elevator in the shaft. It is understood that thecounter-shaft 38 is driven by suitable gearing from the shaft on whichthe cable-sheave is mounted and that said shaft 38 carries a wormwheelwhose working faces engage the teeth of a rack-bar in order to raise orlower said rack-bar, depending upon the direction of rotation of saidworm-wheel, and that said rackbar carries the contact making andbreaking brushes cooperating withthe stationary and yielding contactsbefore described for completing the circuits through the signal in thecar and indicating device on the fiooron which the actuated switch islocated.

Referring now to Figs. 15 to 20, the sprocketwheel 87 is loosely mountedon theshaft 38, while the worm-wheel 39 is fixed to said shaft. Shaft 38is mounted in a suitable bearing 80 and has fixed thereto a pawlcarryingarm 81, on which are arranged a main pawl 82, as I shall term it, and anauxiliary pawl 83. This main pawl 82 is in the form of a lateralprojection extending from a radially-disposed arm 84, whose outer endcarries a roller 85, while a spring 86 tends to hold said arm and itscarried pawl and roller inwardly toward the shaft. This arm ispreferably slidingly mounted in a radially-disposed groove in the arm81. The auxiliary pawl 83, before referred to, is likewise pressedinwardly by a spring 87, shown as a torsional spring, while said pawlcarries a roller 88 on its outer or free end, as shown more clearly inFig. 16. A notched disk 89 is conjoined to the hub of the sprocket-wheel37, and said disk is preferably located in juxtaposition to the arm 81and assists in holding the sliding arm 84 in its groove. A spring 90 isinterposed between the bearing 80 and the hub of the arm 81 for thepurpose of yieldingly holding the fixed and loose members mounted on theshaft in frictional contact with each other. The rod or rack 41heretofore de scribed and which is actuated by the wormwheel 39 isprovided with a lateral rib 91,

96, which for the sake of distinction may be called a crescent, as itsshape is substantially semicircular. A shoulder or collar 97 is arrangedon the rod 94, so as to positively actuate said rocking crescent in onedirection, while a spring 98, arranged on the rod 94, yieldinglyactuates said crescent in the opposite direction. Crescent 96 isprovided with two cam-like projections 99 on its outer face, theoutwardly-disposed edges of which projections recede toward thecrescent, as shown in Figs. 16 and 19, while the inner lower edges ofsaid projections are tapered, as shown in Figs. 15 and 18. 100 indicatesa shoe secured to the bearing and projecting outwardlyin the path of theroller 88 on the auxiliary pawl. The operation of this resettingmechanism is as follows: The pawls 82 and 83 are so arranged that wheneither is in engagement with a notch the other will ride on theperiphery of the disk 89 between two notches. The pawl 82 being the mainpawl is normally in engagement with a notch in the disk, and when insuch position will cause the shaft and its carried wormwheel to rotatewith the sprocket-wheel 37. Assuming that the worm-wheel is rotatinginthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 15, as the car descends the rack 41will be elevated by reason of the engagement of the worm-face 40 withthe teeth thereof until the dog 92 falls under the rib 91. In thisposition the arm Sat is opposite the front end 0 of the crescent, andthe front face of said crescent will strike thereagainst, beingforcedinto contact therewith by the spring 93 when the rib 91 releasesdog 92. The final descending movement of the car causes the arm 84: toride against the front or outer face of the crescent, which accomplishesthe following: The arm when contacting with the face 99 of the firstcam-like projection 99 idly vibrates the crescent without accomplishingany change in the position of the pawls. When the roller 85 on the outerend of the pawl-arm 84 contacts with the lower inner cam-face 99 of therear cam projection 99, it retracts the pawl 82 from engagement with itsnotch and permits the.

the rear end of the crescent. When the elevator starts on its upwardmovement, the sprocket-Wheel is rotated in an opposite direction, inwhich event the arm 84, being in its outward position, passes thecam-like projection 99 (left-hand one in Fig. 15) without having itsposition affected, since it simply vibrates the crescent. This vibrationof the crescent moves the lower end of dog 92 from under the end of rib91, so that the latter is free to descend. The rotation of the diskcontinues until the roller 88 of the auxiliary cam rides up and over theshoe 100, which causes the disengagement of the auxiliary pawl from itsnotch, permitting the sprocket wheel and its conjoined notched disk torotate freely, the shaft and wormwheel remaining stationary meanwhileuntil the pawl 82 is again in line with the notch out of which it wasraised, when said pawl will drop into the same notch it formerlyoccupied and so cause the shaft and its carried wormwheel to rotate andthe rod 41 to lower. The crescent is held retracted by reason of the endof the dog 92 sliding on the rib 91 while the car is making its up anddown trips untilsuch time as the car is about to complete its down trip.The main pawl 82 is likewise in engagement with a notch in disk 89 whilethe car is making its up and down trip and until the car is aboutcompleting its down trip. This operation of the resetting mechanismcontinues at the termination of each down trip as long as the cableoccupies its proper position relative to the sheave 33; but for the sakeof illustration we will assume that said cable has gradually crept overits sheave in a rearward direction relative to the rotation of saidsheave on the down ward movement of the car until such an amount ofcreepage has taken place that it is desired to compensate for the sameto prevent the improper operation of the contact making and breakingdevices operated by the sheave mechanism. The car in about completingits final movement under such conditions will,through its sheavemechanism,drive the shaft 38 until its worm-wheel 39 has elevated therack 41 and operated the dog 92, so that the crescent will be thrownagainst the arm 84. \Vhen the crescent is thrown against the arm, it hasnot completed its outward movement, but is held yieldingly in thatposition, the arm riding over the face thereof until the end of thecrescentis reached, when the arm permits the crescent to move out wardlyin the completion of its movement by the tension of the spring 93, sothat when said arm starts on its return movement it will travel in apath behind the crescent. The arm Set idly vibrates the crescent bycoming in contact with the first cam 99 and is with drawn out ofengagement with the notchin the disk by the second cam 99, so as topermit the sprocket 37 and its conjoined notched disk 89 to rotate untilthe auxiliary pawl 83 falls into the next adjacent notch. The auxiliarypawl 83 will now carry the worm-wheel around until the shoe 100 raisessaid pawl out of engagement with the disk, when the disk will continuerotating until one of its notches alines with the pawl 82, which willdrop thereinto. When the parts are in this position, the pawl 82 will bein the next adjacent notch from that which it previously occupied andthe arm Set will have passed the rear end of the crescent. When theparts rotate in an opposite direction under these conditions, the armSet will, as above stated, pass back of the crescent instead of over theface, as heretofore, in which event the pawl 82 is not disturbed. Thecrescent may be said to occupy an abnormal forward position, asillustrated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 10, when the pawl ispassing behind the same. Arm 8i starts on its backward movement at thesame time that rack 41 commences to descend. Arm 84; has not passedbeyond. the crescent in the first revolution of the parts when rib 91forces dog 92 laterally and tends to pull crescent back. Arm Set beingin the way, rod. 0 f will slip through eye 05 and press spring 98 untilarm 84- passes out of the path of the crescent, and the crescent willnow take its normal retracted position. Subsequent revolutions of arm84- are in a path in advance of the crescent, and so the crescent is notaffected under normal conditions. Spring 98 when the crescent is in thisabnormal forward position permits the dog 92 to be forced laterally andby the rib 91, so that the rack 11 can descend, and after the arm 81 haspassed the forward end of the crescent said crescent will be restored toits normal position by the spring 98. We will now assume that thecreepage of the cable has reversed, so that the cable instead ofcreeping rearwardly over the sheave with respect to the direction ofrotation when the car is descending is creeping forwardly over saidsheave upon the descent of the car, in which event the sheave will notmake as many revolutions to carry the car from the top floor tothebottom as it would under normal conditions or under the abnormalconditions just described. The decreased number of revolutions on thepart of the sheave due to this creepage and the displacement of thesheave relative to the cable we will assume cause the arm 84 to keepdropping back gradually.

ing; but the sprocket Will continue until the auxiliary pawl 83 fallsinto a notch, when the worm-wheel will be forced to rotate, by reason ofthe engagement of this auxiliary pawl, until. the pawl is raised. out ofengagement with the notched disk by the shoe 100, when the notched diskwill continue to rotate until the pawl 82 drops into a notch and thencarries on the rotation of the worm-wheel. By this operation it will beseen that the resetting mechanism has dropped behind the distance of onenotch and will continue so to drop behind at the end of each down tripuntil the cable ceases to creep forwardly over the sheave on the descentof the car. The instant the cable starts to creep in the oppositedirection upon the descent of the car the resetting mechanism willcommence to pick up notches, as before described. Of course it will beunderstood that in speaking of the creepage of the cable on the descentof the car this creepage might occur while the car is ascending as wellas descending; but in whatever direction the ear is going when the cablecreeps, as described, the creepage will be taken up by the resettingmechanism at the end of each down trip of the car.

In Figs. 5, 0, and 7 I have shown an indicator designed for use inconnection with the rack 41-], which indicator is preferably arranged onthe first floor of the building, so that the starter can see theposition of all the cars under his charge and the direction in whichthey are going. This indicator consists of a face-plate 10]., which isprovided with an opening. (See Fig. 5.) 102 indicates a dial mounted torotate behind the face-plate, said dial being provided with a pinion 103in mesh with a rack 10L on the end of the rod 41. The dial is providedwith words or other symbols on its face which indicate the direction inwhich the car is going and the floor at which the car may be at anytime. In order to have the indicator read correctly, alternate signs areprovided, one set being for the up movement and the other for the downmovement. The pinion 103 is provided with a pin 101-, fitting in a slot105 in the dial, so that as the rack 41 descends the down signals onlywill be shown, due to the quick movement of said rack heretoforedescribed in connection with the cam working face between the points aand Z) on the worm-wheel 39, and when the car has completed its downtrip and the rod all starts upwardly there will be sufficient lostmotion between the dial and pinion so that said dial will only exhibitthe up signals.

Another method of indicating the position of the car is illustrated inFig. 21, wherein (see particularly Figs. 15 and 16) a worm 106 isprovided on the rear face ofworm 39,

which worm 106 operates a rack-bar 107, said rack-bar having a flexibleconnection 108 on its upper end passing over an idle sheave, so as tomake an endless-belt arrangement. The lower portion of this endless beltoonsists of flexible cords or chains 109, passing over sheaves 110 andaround a drum 111, on whose axle is arranged a pointer 112, adapted totravel over the face of a dial 113, which dial is provided with numbersindicating the floors of the building, so that the starter can bylooking at this indicator see the exact position of the elevator and inwhich direction it is goin The reason for providing a separate worm 106for this indicating mechanism is to have the movement of the pointer 112continuous while the elevator is moving,

and not intermittent, as is the movement imparted to the rod 41 by theworm 39.

From the above description it will be apparent that my resettingmechanism will op crate to always insure the proper relative positionsof the elevator-car and the indicator, whether the indicator be anelectric or a mechanical indicator, for the rack-bar is the meansimmediately operating the signals, and it is the position of the barwhich is cor rected.

I am aware that there are minor changes in the arrangement,construction, and combination of the several parts of my device whichcan be made and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutin the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patcut, is-

1. The combination with an elevator-car0pcrating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism including a cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively en-- gaged by said movable contacts to make and break thecircuit for a signal in the car, and resetting mechanism actingautomatically to insure'the correct relative position of the car andmovable contact when the same has been changed by either an under orovermovement of the car-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same;substantially as described.

2. The combination with an elevatdr-caropcrating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism including a cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively engaged by said movable contacts to make and breakacircuitincluding an indicating device on the floor, and resetting mechanismacting automatically to insure the correct relative position of the carand movable contact when the same has been changed by either an under orover movement of the car-operating mechanism caused by creepage in thesame; substantially as described.

3. The combination with an elevator-car 0pcrating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism including a cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively engaged by said movable contacts to make and break thecircuit of a signaling device in the car and an indicating device on thefloor, and resetting mechanism acting automatically to insure thecorrect relative position of the car and movable contact when the samehas been changed by either an under or over movement of thecar-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same; substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with an elevator-carop crating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism includinga cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively engaged by said movable contacts, a signalingcircuitterminating at said stationary con tacts, a switch for completing saidsignalingcircuit on the floor of the building whereby, when said movablecontact completes the signaling-circuit, a signaling device is operatedwithin the car, and resetting mechanism acting automatically to insurethe correct relative position of the car and movable contact when thesame has been changed by either an under or over movement of thecar-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same; substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with an elevator-car operating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism including a cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively engaged by said stationary contacts, an indicating-circuitterminating at said stationary contacts, a switch for completing saidindieating-circuit whereby, when the movable contacts operate therewith,said circuit will be completed to operate the signal on the floor wheresaid switch was thrown, and resetting mechanism acting automatically toinsure the correct relative position of the car and movable contact whenthe same has been changed by either an under or over movementof thecar-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same; substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with an elevator-car operating in a suitable shaft,and car-operating mechanism including a cable, of movable contactsactuated by said car, a plurality of stationary contacts which aresuccessively engaged by said movable contacts, signaling and indicatingcircuits terminating at said stationary contacts whereby, when saidmovable contacts cooperate with said stationary contacts, the circuit iscompleted through a signaling device in the car and an indicatingdeviceon the floor where the switch was operated, magnets arranged in serieswith said circuits for restoring the switch to its normal position andbreaking said circuits, and resetting mechanism acting automatically toinsure the correct relative position of the car and movable contact whenthe same has been changed by either an under or over movement of thecar-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same; substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination with a plurality of elevator-cars operating insuitable shafts, and car-operating mechanism for each car including acable, of movable circuit making and ICC breaking devices which areactuated by the respective cars, a plurality of stationary contactsmounted in the elevator-shafts, and in the path of said movablecontacts, signaling and indicating circuits terminating at differentstationary contacts, signaling devices in the several cars included insaid signalingcircuits, indicating devices on different floors of thebuilding included in said indicatingcircuits, switches arranged on thedifferent floors of the building for completing the circuit whichterminates at some of the stationary contacts whereby, when any of theelevator-actuated making and breaking devices complete the circuitthrough the stationary contacts and the operated switch, a signal willbe given to the conductor on the car moving in either direction that aswitch on a certain floor has been set, and also an indicating device onthe floor where the switch was thrown, will be operated to indicate tothe person throwing the switch that the conductor on the next car goingin the proper direction will, or has received the signal to stop at thefloor where the switch was thrown, and resetting mechanism actingautomatically to insure the correct relative position of the car andmovable contact when the same has been changed by either an under orover movement of the car-operating mechanism caused by creepage in thesame; substantially as described.

8. The combination with a plurality of elevator-cars operating insuitable shafts, and car-operating mechanism for each car including acable, of movable circuit making and breaking devices which are actuatedby the respective cars, a plurality of stationary contacts mounted inthe elevator-shafts, and in the paths of said movable contacts,signaling and indicating circuits terminating at different stationarycontacts, signaling devices in the several ears included in saidsignalingcircuits, indicating devices on dilferent floors of thebuilding included in said indicatingcircuits, switches arranged on thedifferent floors of the building for completing the circuit whichterminates at some of the'stationary contacts whereby, when any of theelevator-actuated making and breaking devices complete the circuitthrough the stationary contacts and the operated switch, a signal .willbe given to the conductor on the car moving in either direction that aswitch on a certain floor has been set, and also an indicating device onthe floor where the switch was thrown, will be operated to indicate tothe person throwing the switch that the conductor on the next car goingin the proper direction will, or has received the signal to stop at thefloor where the switch was thrown, switches in the elevator-cars forbreaking the circuit to render the movable making and breaking devicesactuated by its respective ear,inoperative,and resetting mechanismacting atuomatically to insure the correct relative position of the carand movable contact when the same has been changed by either mechanismincl udinga cable,of signaling and indicating circuits terminating'atstationary contacts, a circuit making and breaking device actuated bysaid car to engage with said stationary contacts in succession, and insuch manner that different stationary contacts will be engaged when thecar is moving in different directions, a switch for completing thecircuit through stationary contacts which are engaged when the car isgoing in a certain direction, and resetting mechanism actingautomatically to insure the correct relative position of the car andmaking and breaking device when the same has been changed by either anover or an under movement in the car-operating mechanism caused bycreepage in the same; substantially as described.

10. g The combination with an elevator-car, car-operating mechanismincluding a cable, and pairs or sets of stationary contacts, of movablecontact making and breaking devices which are operative with respect toone pair or one set of said stationary contacts when said movablecontact is moving in one direction,'aud inoperative with respect to theother pair or set of stationary contacts when moving in thefirst-mentioned direction, said movable contact being operative withrespect to the other pair or set of stationary contacts when moving inthe opposite direction, and inoperative with respect to thefirst-mentioned stationary contacts, circuits which are connected tosaid stationary contacts, a switch for making and breaking the circuitwith re spect to either or both sets or pairs of stationary contacts,and resetting mechanism acting automatically to insure the correctrelative position of said movable and stationary contacts when the samehas been changed by either an under or an over movement in theear-operating mechanism caused by creepage in the same; substantially asdescribed.

11. The combination with a pair of stationary contacts arrangedsubstantially parallel to each other, one of which is formed withbeveled ends, of a movable contact-carrier, means for moving the same, ayielding contact on said carrier which is movable in opposite directionsbeyond said beveled stationary contact, whereby when said movablecontact is moving in one direction it is thrown to one side of saidbeveled contact, in between the pair of stationary contacts andcompletes a circuit therethrough, and when said movable contact ismoving in the opposite direction it is thrown to the other side of saidbeveled contact so as to be incapable of.operation with respect to saidstationary contact; substantially as described.

12. The combination with a fixed contact formed with a beveled end, ofyielding con tacts 50 and 53 arranged parallel to said first- ICOmentioned contact, and on different planes with respect to each other, amovable male ing and breaking contact, which travels in a path includingthe first-mentioned fixed contact, means for moving said movable contactin opposite directions, and circuits which terminate at said fixed andyielding contacts whereby, when the movable contact making and breakingdevice is traveling in one direction, it is deflected between the fixedcontact and its companions to complete the circuits, and when travelingin the opposite direction it is deflected oppositely, so as to leave thecircuit broken between said fixed and yielding contact; substantially asdescribed.

13. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a rod moved inopposite directions thereby, said rod extending through several floorsof the building, contact making and breaking devices adj ustably mountedupon and carried by said rod, oppositely-disposed pairs of stationarycontacts in the paths of the cont-act making and breaking devicescarried by the rod and adapted to be operated successively thereby,signaling and indicating circuits terminating at said pairs ofstationary contacts, switches for making the circuits to either or bothof said oppositelydisposed pairs of stationary contacts, and means formoving said movable contact making and breaking devices to render thesame operative with respect to one of the opposite pairs of stationarycontacts, and inoperative with respect to the other of said pairs ofstationary contacts when said movable contact is moving in one directionand vice versa; substantially as described.

14:. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a fixed contactmember, a worm-wheel driven by said elevator mechanism, a rack-bar inmesh with said wormwheel, a yielding contact making and breakin g devicecarried by said rack-bar, and a stationary contact into engagement withwhich said yielding contact is forced by said fixed contact member whensaid yielding contact making and breaking device is traveling in onedirection, said fixed contact member forcing said making and breakingdevice out of contact with said stationary contact when said device istraveling in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

15. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a worm-wheel driventhereby, a rack-bar in mesh with said worm-wheel, a contact devicecarried by said rack-bar, sta tionary contacts adapted to be engaged bysaid contact device, a signal in circuit with said contacts, a pinion inmesh with said rackbar, an indicating-dial arranged in juxtaposition tosaid pinion, and a slot-and-pin connection between said pinion andindicatingdial; substantially as described.

16. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a worm-wheel driventhereby, said worm-wheel having concentric circular major and minorworking faces, and a short eccentric working face, and a rack-bar inmesh with said workin g faces; substantially as described.

17. The combination with an elevator mechanism,- of a circuit making andbreaking device, operating means for the making and breaking deviceactuated by the elevator mechanism, and a resetting mechanism interposedbetween the elevator mechanism and the circuit making and breakingmechanism for automatically compensating for either an over or undermovement of said operating means caused by creepage in the elevatorsystem; substantially as described.

18. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a circuit making andbreaking device, operating means therefor actuated by the elevatormechanism, and means for compensating for either an over or undermovement of the said operating means caused by creepage of the cable,whereby the said cir-' cuit making and breaking device is main tained insubstantially a fixed relation to the elevator mechanism; substantiallyas de-= scribed.

19. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a driven elementcarrying contact making and breaking devices, operating means therefor,and means controlled by said driven element for throwing the same intoand out of engagement with the elevator mechanism, either upon an overor an under movement of said operating means; substantially asdescribed.

20. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a rack-bar driventhereby, sig nal-contacts operated by said rack-bar, and

means cooperating with said rack-bar for throwing the same into and outof engagement with the elevator mechanism; either upon an over or anunder movement of the driving member; substantially as described.

21. The combination with an elevator mechanism, of a worm-wheel driventhereby, a rackbar in engagement with the wormwheel, signal-contactsoperated by said rack bar, and means for throwing said worm-wheel out ofengagement with the elevator mechanism, either upon an over or an undermovement of the wornrwheel; substantially as described.

22. The combination with an elevator-signal, operating means therefor,and an elevator mechanism, of a driven element normally in engagementtherewith, and means cooperating with said driven element and with saidelevator mechanism for disengaging the one from the other andreestablishing an engagement between said driven element and the saidelevator mechanism in the same or a different relation; substantially asdescribed.

23. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct op erationof the signal comprising an oppositelyrotatable notched driving-disk,devices which are driven thereby, a pawl connecting the driven deviceswith said notched disk, and means connected to and operated by thedriven devices for throwing said pawl into and out of engagement withsaid notched disk; substantially as described.

24. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched driving-disk, devices which are driventhereby, a plurality of pawls in engagement with said notch ed disk andconnected to said driven mechanism, and means for throwing said pawlsinto and out of engagement with said notched disk at different times;substantially as described.

25. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched driving-disk, devices which are driventhereby, a plurality of pawls in engagement with said notched disk andconnected to said driven mechanism, and means for throwing said pawlsinto and out of engagement when said notched disk is in diiferentpositions; substantially as described.

26. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct op erationof the signal comprising a notched driving-disk which rotates inopposite directions, a main and an auxiliary pawl cooperating therewith,driven mechanism to which said pawls are connected, and means operatedby said driven mechanism for changing the relation of said pawlsrelative to said disk;

substantially as described.

27. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct op erationof the signal comprising a notched driviiigdisk, a main and an auxiliarypawl cooperating therewith, driven mechanism to which said main andauxiliary pawls are con nected, and a device for tripping the main pawl,which device is thrown into its tripping position by the drivenmechanism; substantially as described.

28. The combination with an elevator signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising notched driving-disk, a main and an auxiliary pawlcoiiperating therewith, driven mechanism to which said main andauxiliary pawls are connected, a device for tripping the main pawl,which device is thrown into its tripping position by the drivenmechanism, and a fixed cam for cooperating with the auxiliary pawl;substantially as described.

29. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched disk, a pawl cooperating therewith,driven mechanism to which said pawl is connected, a tripping devicewhich is placed in an operative position by the driven mechanism,

and cam projections on said tripping device for cocperating with saidpawl; substantially as described.

30. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched driving-disk, a pawlcooperatingtherewith and connected to the driven mechanism, a pivotedframe carrying two cam projections for cooperating with said pawl, and adog which is yieldingly connected to said frame for operating the same,said dog being actuated by the driven mechanism; substantially asdescribed. 7

31. The combination with an elevator-signal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched driving-disk, driven mechanismcomprising a worm-wheel and rack-bar, a lateral projection on saidrack-bar, a dog which is operated by said lateral projection, a rockingframe carrying cam projections, said frame being connected to said dog,and a pawl cooperating with the notched disk and said cam projections onthe rocking frame for disengaging the notched disk from the drivenmechanism; substantially as described.

32. The combination with an elevator-Sig nal, an elevator drivemechanism, and resetting mechanism for insuring the correct operation ofthe signal comprising a notched driving-disk, a main and an auxiliarypawl cooperating therewith, a fixed shoe for disengaging t-he auxiliarypawl from said notched disk, a rocking frame for disengaging the mainpawl from said notched disk, a driven mechanism which is connected tosaid disk by said pawl, and means operated by said driven mechanism formoving the rocking frame into and out of the path of the main pawl;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afllx my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 12th day otJune, 1899.

l li/KNCIS K. FASSET".

\Vitnesses:

F. R. CORNWALL, A. S. GRAY.

